By Stacy Brown<\/p>\n
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) launched a civil rights investigation into Rankin County, Mississippi, and the Rankin County Sheriff\u2019s Department (RCSD). The probe will determine whether the RCSD engages in unconstitutional practices, including excessive force, unlawful stops, and racially discriminatory policing. Rankin County, which has a population of about 160,000, is located 30 minutes east of Jackson, the state capital.<\/p>\n
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The investigation follows the highly publicized case involving the so-called \u201cGoon Squad,\u201d a group of five former Rankin County deputies convicted for the brutal assault of two Black men, Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker, in January 2023. Those deputies were sentenced to federal prison, but the Justice Department is now examining whether the issues within the department are more widespread.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe are launching this investigation to examine serious allegations that the Rankin County Sheriff\u2019s Department systematically violates people\u2019s constitutional rights through excessive use of force, unlawful stops and arrests, and discriminatory policing,\u201d said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.<\/p>\n
The investigation will scrutinize the RCSD\u2019s use of force, including deadly force, and evaluate whether officers have engaged in unlawful searches, stops and arrests in violation of the Fourth Amendment. The Justice Department will also assess claims of discriminatory policing practices that could violate the 14th Amendment, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the Safe Streets Act.<\/p>\n
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Rankin County officials have pledged their cooperation with the investigation. The DOJ said it would review the sheriff department\u2019s policies, training and oversight systems. Investigators will gather information by meeting with community members, law enforcement officers, and department leadership.<\/p>\n
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Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division referenced the Goon Squad case in remarks about the investigation: \u201cAlthough the Goon Squad deputies are now serving time, we have received numerous reports that their actions were part of a broader pattern of misconduct that persists within the sheriff\u2019s department.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Officials said the investigation is being conducted under the authority of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which allows the Justice Department to address law enforcement misconduct through civil litigation. This marks the 12th such investigation into law enforcement practices opened by the Justice Department during the Biden administration. Recent investigations into departments in Phoenix and Louisville have led to significant reforms.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe pursuit of justice is not just about punishing individual officers; it\u2019s about ensuring that the culture of policing reflects the values of our Constitution,\u201d Garland said. \u201cNo community should live in fear of those sworn to protect them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Source: Washington Informer Newspaper\u00a0 – Published without any changes<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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